On a Scale of One

[Conrad Hoffsommer]

Ron N.
At 22:10 03/01/2000 -0600, you wrote:

>Aha! There's a local tech here with a Mehlin in the shop right now.

I've got an 1918 vintage Mehlin 6'4" here, and yes...

>she informed me that there is a half moon slot cut in the soundboard tail.

There is _indeed_ an excellent drain at the tail end of the soundboard.  It
works quite well as the soundboard slopes dramatically from belly to tail.
The string choir, however, does not. In fact I believe the strings slope UP
from agraffe to bridge.  (The bass bridge is about 6" tall)

>Can't let this sort of thing go by without checking it out.

Many quirky things about the beastie.  If you have to take out the action
count the screws and use your cordless screwdriver... there's lots of them.
 (action does NOT shift) Have fun!!

Equal tension scale???!!  Not on this one.  My scale printout shows #25
(first above break) @139# and 204# for #34 (bottom to top of #21 wire)

I also have a CF Stein 5'2" here which says it has an "Equitension Scale".
Scanning down that printout I see tensions from 170-200 in tenor section,
and 140-182 in upper sections.  _Average_ tensions for tenor section is
172, and treble is 174, so that is about the same.  Bass section average is
208  and top treble is 160 - definitely not "equi".  Maybe some things are
more equal than others?? ;-}



Conrad Hoffsommer - mailto:hoffsoco@luther.edu
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